Tag Archives: salon

This past Sunday, March 29. I was invited to a salon at the home of Tami Zweig Macala in Santa Barbara, CA. Also invited was author David Kukoff, who just released his first novel, “Children of the Canyon” — also under Rare Birds Books — my publisher. It was my first introduction to a salon, so naturally I had to get a good definition of the type of event: A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine the taste and increase the knowledge of the participants through conversation. (Wikipedia) Awesome, right?! I hope for more of these in the future.

In an intimate setting, David and I both spoke about our respective books and then received questions from our lovely audience. I made it a point to talk about the human-interest aspect of “The Record Store Book,” because the book is not only about vinyl records — each store owner has a story about how they came to be business owners and how they have survived this economy.

David’s book, a fiction novel, is loosely based on his upbringing in Laurel Canyon — “L.A.’s fabled neighborhood as the 1960s counterculture is coming to an end,” according to his web site. I got a copy because I was born and raised in Los Angeles, but mainly because David is amazing!

It was great afternoon, and I am so grateful to my friends who came out to support me and witness me holding my book for the very first time! It was overwhelming and emotional — in good ways!

Afterwards, I followed my publisher, Tyson Cornell, to his car to sign 3 to 4 boxes of book from his trunk! It was so perfect and grassroots! I loved everything about this day!

Rebecca Villaneda is a Los Angeles-born writer educated in southern and northern California. Her second book, “The Record Store Book,” is a collaboration with photographer Mike Spitz and features 50 independent vinyl record stores in and around Los Angeles. It will be released April 14, 2015 and available for purchase at select retail locations, including Urban Outfitters or various online book stores.